Former Nebraska police chief fined for falsifying documents

GERING, Neb. (AP) _ The former police chief in the Panhandle town of Minatare has been fined $2,000 for submitting false documents to the city and the state Law Enforcement Training Academy.

On Wednesday 49-year-old Robert Regester pleaded no contest and was convicted of two counts of abusing public records. As part of an agreement with prosecutors, two more counts were dropped and one of making a false statement under oath was dropped as well. He also must surrender his law enforcement certification.

Prosecutor Doug Warner says Regester lied about completing firearms courses in September 2014. Warner says Regester also had completed only one hour of 20 hours of continuing education required by the state but lied on a form submitted to the city and the training academy that he’d completed all 20 hours.